Amber's Organizing - Tips

Any parent would agree that we want our teens and college students to succeed in the real world and be functional, responsible adults one day on their own. Systems and habits start at home and equipping them with some basic organizing strategies will go a long way. Teach your teens not only how to do laundry but how to schedule it into their week. Your kids might be great at doing laundry but do they have the time management skills to fit it into their busy week with school activities and hanging out with friends? Sometimes teens and college students…

Here in the Midwest, mudrooms are coveted and are considered a huge bonus room. With the changing of four seasons, we are constantly changing coats, shoes, gear, and other weather-related accessories. Mudrooms and entryways are notorious for getting clogged with boots, missing mittens, wet snow pants, bags of returns, backpacks, and random items that are carried by little hands to and from the car. Despite the oddities of midwest weather, there’s hope. We can have a plan and that plan can be put into action to make these entryways into functional spaces instead of the dumping ground. No one can…

If you struggle with getting laundry done, you’re not alone. Lots of people procrastinate when it comes to facing a mound of dirty laundry. Like anything else in life, doing a little bit each day is way easier than doing six to eight loads on a weekend. Procrastinating on laundry has a ripple effect and may impact your storage and bedroom more than you think. I often see people buying clothes instead of doing laundry because let’s face it, it’s more fun to shop then do household chores. The problem then arises when the number of clothes doesn’t fit inside…

I haven’t met one person who loves to move. Moving is horrendous and tops the charts as being the most stressful thing to go through. Unpacking is super laborious and takes a lot of time and energy. These ten tips are fail-proof. Each year we unpack hundreds of homes and know the best way to unpack a home. Read on and save yourself a lot of stress and headaches. First off, be present when the movers arrive. Although it doesn’t feel like the best use of your time, stand and watch to see where every box and piece of furniture…

Moving and decluttering go hand in hand. You really can’t do one without the other. If you skip the decluttering step, things are worse, more complicated and overwhelming on the other end after you move. Throwing it all in storage isn’t the solution easier. Once you fill a storage unit, it makes it more difficult and time-consuming to get the stuff out later on. Deal with the stuff now and make the best possible decisions in the present. Several steps should be completed before you even put your house on the market. Many families hire professional organizers to conquer the…

Congratulations! Your house has sold. Now it’s time to get packing! Decide if you want help packing or perhaps packing is your strong suit. I always tell customers to get help for the part of the move that overwhelms them the most. Some people don’t mind packing up one bit and then when it comes to putting it all away in their new home, they are paralyzed to unpack the boxes. The opposite is also true so decide where you’d like to ask for help. Most movers can quote you for packing as well, or several organizing companies like my…

Accumulating Paper and Letting it Go Much like other things in life. Paper has a life cycle. It isn’t meant to stay permanently, and it does have a specific job for a short amount of time. When we treat paper as a keepsake or an antique piece of furniture that we won’t part with, it poses a problem. So let’s take a look at the cycle a little in detail. Beginning of the Cycle- Paper arrives. It comes through the mail, through our computer (hitting the print button too often), through backpacks, through purses and briefcases. We are the culprits….

Springtime in Chicago is always cherished and welcomed after the bitter cold, dark winters we endure. Garages take a beating all winter from the cold and snow. It’s time to give them a little love come April or May. Here are seven tips to get you started in cleaning out the garage and clearing the clutter. Wash windows to let the long summer hours of sunshine in. Don’t block windows. Light is always good in dark, dingy spaces. So steer clear from stacking things in front of windows. Sweep the floor free of the leftover leaves, grime, and salt from the…

The mediums that help us spend our money can add much organization to our financial world. The ability to track what we spend, see what we’ve spent, and rely on that information to be correct is very valuable and useful. I rarely carry cash and never use cash in my day to day spending. When you and I spend money with bills and coins, there is no way to track what we’ve spent unless we write it down. I don’t know about you but I have better things to do than to write down on a notebook that I buy…

Keeping a car clean and clutter-free is easier than you think. If you work out of your car, commute long distances or your kids are in a lot of activities and sports, your car or minivan is bound to reflect it. Some of us feel like we spend more time in our car than in our home. Books, water bottles, leftover wrappers, toys, things to return to stores, paper, coins, and other random stuff accumulates on the floor when we are driving from one activity or appointment to the next. The best organizing advice I can give you is the…